14 Things to do in Paris in May

It’s May in Paris! Get out in the city

Free Museum Sunday

Don’t forget it’s free entry to Museums on Sunday. It’s the monthly Paris initiative to drive more people into the art galleries around the city. Remember there will be long queues but it really is worth it. In the main, the free entry is for the permanent exhibitions so don’t be surprised if some areas of your favourite cultural haunt aren’t open for business. General info about the event can be found in our Free Museum Sundays post.

Night at the Museum

Free nights at the Museums in Paris Yay! Once a year the cultural institutions of the city, fling open their doors and welcome the public in droves! Take advantage and discover some of the beautiful art in this town, at no cost to you whatsoever! Obviously, you’ll have to think strategically about which art houses to go to – will it be the Louvre or Palais du Tokyo perhaps the Pompidou maybe? Either way, make your decision, stick to it and get there early. It’s a wild night and definitely not to be missed. The full listings of all the museums taking part in the event are available now. If you want to know more about it check out this archive MLP Post . It’s on Saturday, May 20th.

Bears – Photographic Exhibition

Jardin du Plante is a must when it comes to enjoying Spring in Paris! The gardens are beautiful and it really is a joy for the whole family especially with so much to explore from the zoo to the Naturel History Museum. Over the next few months, you can also visit their free Bears exhibition. They describe it as follows:

“A forest without bear is not a real forest,” said the Swiss naturalist Robert Hainard. And today everyone agrees that a bear-free ice is not a real pack ice either. This exhibition is an invitation to discover the world of bears, brown as polar, through the singular look of the photographer Vincent Munier. Several years were necessary to collect these images, sometimes on the ice of the Canadian Arctic and Spitzbergen, sometimes in the wild forests of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, or even in the shadow of the volcanoes of the Distant Kamchatka …

Mega Fun Fair

Foire du Throne returns to Paris from March 31 until May 28. 60 days of fun and games which draw in 3 million annual visitors a year! It’s a real cultural event in the city and appeals to all ages. Brilliant family fun with every ride you can imagine, at Pelouse de Reuilly Paris 12.

The Paris Fringe

MLP is super excited that the Paris Fringe is back in town – with a veritable feast of mini theatre productions for kids and adults alike. Last year the kids loved the shows we took them to, they were so much fun and the choice of options illustrated the diverse nature of this ten-day showcase of global talent. This year you can expect more of the same from the handpicked selection of artists. From dramatic storytelling in a production of Evita to Comedy like the Fat Kids are Harder to Kidnap show. There’ll also be magic and improvisation. Book now to avoid disappointment – you’ll find the full schedule on the Paris Fringe website.

Neighbours Day

The strangest but also possibly the most brilliant idea, especially for expats takes place this May in Paris. Once a year, Paris encourages neighbours to break bread and drink wine together. Tenants sharing the same apartment block, gather in a communal space bringing food and good cheer and basically get to know each other. It’s a cool concept although it can understandably be a bit nerve-wracking if you don’t know anyone – but it can also be fun. save the date Friday, May 19 – and be a part of what’s going on in your community.

Space Invaders

Remember that game that was all the rage back in the eighties? Well, an artist became inspired by it and devised mosaic style creations, based on the computer game that engaged youth culture way back when. Now his artwork is being displayed at the Musée en Herbe until September 3rd. It’s called Hello my game is…

Jamaica, Jamaica! at the Philharmonie

“I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love” this top track from Bob Marley is playing through MLP’s headphones right now, to set the scene for the next big music expo at the Philharmonie de Paris. The history of music inspired by this island in the sun is finally being celebrated with a full-on bells and whistles exhibition at the famed music hall. Hot on the heels of the sell out David Bowie expo and the Velvet Underground show comes Jamaica Jamaica. A curated tale of reggae music and contemporary sounds that have radiated around the world. Using film, archive materials and imagery get ready for a lesson in the unique and universal music created by this beautiful island! From April 4 until August 13.

The Big Wheel

Always a winning opportunity to wander to the end of the Champs Elysèe and get the most amazing views of the city. If you haven’t done it yet, this could be the perfect time. Especially as it’s just battled efforts to close it down. It’s a slow wheel so be prepared for being up there a while.

Mathematical Games

Get up close and personal with chaos theory, the law of probabilities, statistics and chance with this interactive installation at the Palais Decouverte. Challenge yourself and the kids with different options provided in the form of games and random experiments, designed to focus the mind and unravel the intuitive tools used by mathematicians. Until August 2017!

Middle Ages at the Cité des Sciences

Castles under siege, knights and princesses, plagues and famines. That’s what usually comes to mind when we think about the Middle Ages. The Cite des Sciences, one of our favourite family destinations, will let youngsters find out for themselves and this looks like a fantastic exhibition. As you would expect from this venue, there are also some great workshops planned. Until August 6.

The Paris Fair at Versailles

This annual event offers a journey through all the continents in one and the same place with a program of fashion, gastronomy, music and more. Artists from all over the world will gather to showcase the richness of the different cultures present to the 1/2 million visitors expected

This year, Foire de Paris places permanent and accessible innovation at the centre of its interests. In the spirit of innovation, you’ll be able to walk through 3 areas dedicated to; Habitat, Gastronomy & Shopping.

If you fancy a bit of inspiration for the home then this might be right up your street!

Hip Hop Lovers

If you are a fan fo the Wu tang Clan then check out this special expo celebrating the legacy of the group here in Paris. It’s set for a world tour following this stint in the city of light so try and see it. As well as exhibiting art representing their take on hip hop culture there are a few workshops too including one for kids on May 10. It opens on Friday May 5 with a party and projection of their film. The event is called Wu Lab and all the info is on their website.

What Lies Beneath!

Starting this month, every Wednesday there will be a special tour of the sewers in Paris for kids. They have to be accompanied by an adult but if getting to know ‘what lies beneath’ is your thing then you might want to take advantage.

On the program: a guided and interactive tour on the part of the network open to the public to understand the water circuit, the sewage disposal system of our homes, from collection to treatment and wastewater treatment plants They’ll learn more about the daily work of sewers and how the 2,566 kilometers of ducts of the sewerage network of the City of Paris is maintained throughout the year . To complete this visit, a short film on the functioning of the sewers will be screened in the theatre and the children will be able to participate in a “rat” origami workshop.

The program lasts 1h30, in small groups of 10 to 20 people maximum. You can reserve your places by telephone on 01 53 68 27 81. 2pm every Wednesday. €’.’à for adults, €3.60 for kids. Until August 30th.

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